CRAG quick note, March 5

Hello CRAGgy Friends,
Welcome new people! (join here)

1. Upcoming local Township/city meetings (Calendar link)
2. Action Items
3. News
4. Events and meetings

“It is not shameful to do little.  It is shameful to do nothing.” Alexie Navalny (1978-2024), Russian opposition leader, anti-corruption activist, and political prisoner. (h/t CW)

1. Upcoming local Township/city meetingsWe are trying to get someone to speak up at every possible local meeting. Stand up, say your piece How are government actions affecting you? How do they hurt your community? You don't have to say a lot; some people just say a sentence or two "I'm worried about Medicaid cuts"; "I don't want Elon Musk having access to my private data."
As examples, my statements to all bodies are posted on Substack. (I can post yours, too, if you want to share.)
CANCELED due to weather

• CANCELED: March 5, 6 pm, Hancock. Special Planning & DDA Commissions Joint Meeting; note location : Small Craft (formerly known as the Cooper Island Beach Club).

UPPCOMING

• March 10th, 7 pm, Hancock Township. Township Hall. 54660 M-203 (Beth Flynn will attend)
• March 10th, 5 pm, Baraga County (Sarah will attend, with some Baraga Dems)
• March 10th, 5 pm, Adams Twp Board in the township office building at 17104 First St., Baltic (check location, might be next door).
• March 11th, noon. Schoolcraft Twp. 226 Front St., Lake Linden.
• March 11th, 3 pm. Houghton Country Commissioners.
• March 19th, 6 pm, Hancock City Council

I've made a CALENDAR of events!When and where does your local city or township board meet? Let me know. Thanks to those who have shared.
2. Action Items

• Action item: Keep calling your Congressperson. Jack Bergman: (202) 225-4735 (or use 5-calls), and Senators Peters and Slotkin.

The app or web site 5-Calls is highly recommended to simplify your daily calls. It includes concise summaries of key issues.
3. News

• Fraud notes:

The fraud finder is a fraud, DOGE deletes billions from it's list of savings (NYT). Here's the podcast story on The Daily.
The notion that 150-year-olds are collecting social security is entirely false. An Inspector General report last year found less than 1% of social security benefits paid were in error. Recommendations for improvement did NOT include firing 7,000 employees (happening now). U.S. Senator Patty Murray has warned that these cuts will make it harder for people to get the benefits they have paid for.

• Firings

Up to 50% of IRS workers are threatened with layoffs (Guardian). IRS employees help people file their taxes, and more importantly audit rich taxpayers. "GAO finds that for every hour spent auditing these returns, the IRS found thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes. For the most well-off families making $10 million or more, the IRS found $13,000 every hour."
Also, 83,000 VA employees are slated for firing (Guardian).

• Good News!

The Supreme Court rules today that $2B of blocked USAID funds must be released immediately.
4. Events and meetings

• Join local Keweenaw Indivisible here.
• Houghton County Dems meet every first Wednesday, 7 pm at the Super 8.
• March 6. A team in Escanaba is organizing a "mock town hall" (also known as an "empty seat town hall"). Rep. Bergman has been invited; the event will occur whether he shows or not.

Thanks for all your support
Stay Well
Sarah
How and why to act locallyMy statements to local bodiesJoin CRAGCitizens Rally for Accountable Government